Best Aeropress Technique-Get the best out of your Aeropress

Since it’s invention in 2005, the aeropress has gained a lot of popularity between home brewers, and professionals. It is just a great way to brew coffee. It is great to have and use at home, but it is also an awesome option to travel with for example to a camping trip, it uses very little space and it is super simple to use and clean. Plus the coffee you can get out of it is simply delicious.

Many people have asked me what is the best aeropress technique, and while it is a question of choice, I want to talk about the two main methods to use the aeropress. THE ORIGINAL METHOD (the one that is described on its instructions) and the INVERTED METHOD.

Original Method

This is the method for which the aeropress was invented and of course the one you will see on the instructions of the aeropress. Let’s go step by step.

You will need one scoop of coffee beans, or if you have a scale, about 17gr of coffee. Of course, you can adjust it to taste and depending on the amount of water you use.

About the grind there are some different opinions on this, but a great place to start would be a medium fine grind, slightly coarser than an espresso grind.

Step 1

Put the filter in the filter cap and rinse it with hot water. The water will serve for three purposes. It will help the filter stick to the filter cap, it will pre-warm the filter and it will get any papery taste out of it.

Step 2

Place the filter cap on the bottom of the chamber twisting it clockwise.

Step 3

Place the chamber on top of the cup.

Step 4

Using the funnel pour the grinds inside the chamber, the funnel just makes it easier not to spill grind over your coutnertop.

Step 5

Pour in the hot water making sure that you are saturating all the grinds and let it go up to the last number on the chamber. Stir it with the paddle and let it sit for a few seconds.

Step 6

Put the rubber side of the plunger into the top side of the chamber, and then start pressing on it very slowly, it should take between 15 to 20 seconds to press it all the way. Do this until you hear a hiss.

NOW YOU ARE READY TO ENJOY YOUR CUP OF COFFEE!!!

Variations

Of course this is a starting point, you can change some steps if you want different results. For example if you want to let the coffee sit a little longer before you plunge it, it is a good idea to insert the plunger and pull it slightly upwards, this will stop the coffee from dripping from the bottom before you start plunging.

You can also try different grind sizes or different water to coffee ratios, do whatever you want until you get the perfect cup. Some people even like a grind that is coarser than a pour over. This is completely fine.

Inverted Method

The inverted method is very similar to do. It gives you the chance of steeping the grinds for longer letting them extract before pressure is put on them. This will give the coffee more “french press like” characteristics.

The Grind

For the inverted method I personally like a coarser grind this helps to avoid over extracting.

Step 1

Set up the aeropress upside down, with the plunger at the bottom and the chamber on top of it, without the filter cap.

Step 2

Pour in the coffee and water from the bottom (now top) of the chamber, stir and let it sit for a minute.

Step 3

Put the filter cap on (with the already rinsed filter on it), then flip it over carefully on top of the cup, and plunge just as described above.

How to clean the aeropress

Cleaning the aeropress is extremely simple. First you take the filter cap off the chamber.

Then you press the plunger to get the coffee and the filter out and throw them away.

Lastly you give all the parts a quick wash and you’re done.

Which method do you like best?

I personally like both methods, they are both simple and do not require a high level of skill, it should just take a few cups to get it right and to be able to repeat it over and over.